A Nice Abode

I mumbled and grumbled for months before our move out to Southern Alabama, and have found out that it was for good reason: it is grossly humid in the summer, there are enormous bugs, the people are different, and I still really miss everything from my life in California (my job, sob).

However, from day one there has been something that has brought me joy, even delight, and to express my gratitude to it, I dedicate today's blog to our townhouse.

Every time I walk in the front door, I breathe a sigh of contentment. We have an ENTRYWAY. Sometimes I stand at the top of the stairs and lean over the banister, and I just soak up the beautiful feeling that I get staring at all that space! It makes it feel like a real house.

Even though this is a two-bedroom place just like our apartment in California, we have much more space thanks to several actual closets and a garage. Todd even constructed shelves in one closet to make it into our very first linen closet!

We also have CENTRAL AIR (ooh la la), as well as
a heater that actually works! I am so grateful for genuine temperature control!


After six years of quarter-driven communal laundry rooms, I am pleased to announce that we have finally bought our own washer and dryer. We'll see how long it lasts, but for now, doing laundry is actually exciting. We've only hit one day where we had to say, "I'm wearing my last set of underwear - we'd better do laundry today." It actually gets done before that point now!


When Todd and I first got married, a neighbor gave us their old table (complete with wobbly leg and stained top). Since we didn't have any chairs, we got used to eating on the floor in the living room. Eventually, we bought folding chairs, but it always bothered me that we didn't have a nice table and chairs.

Here in Alabama, we've got a true-blue dining room with tile floor and everything. We finally bought a dinette set to grace our dining room - I love it! Now we actually eat at the table sometimes.


Our living room is big enough that we turned a section of it into the office - I love having the computer in the main area! I do miss the sage green wall we had in our living room in California, but I think I've found a good color synchrony here, too.

One whole wall is windows, and French doors leading to our backyard (ie. Todd's barbeque grill). There are a bunch of trees around here, and our backyard is sloped on a hill, so when we look out the window, all we see is nature - it's wonderful to look out and not look into the neighbor's window!


Check out our master bedroom. First of all, don't you love that duvet cover? I just got it, and now when I walk in the room, everything feels so soothing. Aah.

But there are additional features about our room that I love.
1. We have a walk-in closet!
2. There's a double-sink vanity right in the room, and a little room off to the side with the shower and toilet.
3. Do you see those French doors? They lead out to a DECK!

Todd and I love to take our camping chairs out onto the deck. We have picnics and read books out there. It's awesome!

So even when everything else about Alabama is discouraging, and I get really homesick for California, all I have to do is look around our townhouse and I come up with tons of reasons to be grateful. It is really nice to have a great place to come home to!